A personal "behind the scenes" insight from the perspectives of CEO-wife and COO-husband power team into what its like to be a family owned and operated small business called EBSCO Spring Company. www.ebscospring.com

You May Kiss the Bride

I actually get to say those words, “You may kiss the bride” at weddings. I am very honored and humbled to be ordained and licensed to perform marriage ceremonies. I became ordained at the request of my wife’s nephew and best friend who were planning to wed. Sitting around planning the wedding my wife’s friend said “wouldn’t it be great if uncle Todd could perform the wedding”. I thought, why not? What an honor it would be to perform their ceremony. A few hours on the web and a visit to the court-house and I became a licensed minister able to perform weddings. Since receiving my license I have performed several ceremonies. I only do them for friends and am always very humbled and honored they include me in such and important event in their lives. I typically do not have trouble speaking in front of a group but with marriages I become extremely nervous. It is because I really get the significance of what is happening. They are getting married!

Why do I bring this up in todays Blog? I just finished preparing a ceremony, which will be a first for me. A Wedding Vow renewal. Two friends of mine, both of which work with me want to reaffirm their vows after 25 years of marriage! How exciting! They each faced and overcame tremendous medical challenges this past year and beat them. After facing and overcoming these tremendous challenges together, their response is to renew their vows. That is a true testament to the institution of marriage and more importantly to their commitment to one another, I am extremely honored to be included.

I might say they were lucky to find one another, 25 years ago but I do not believe in luck except at the casino. I believe we find our soul mates not by chance but by fate. Fate? Then why do so many end in divorce? I think that short marriages are a matter of not listening to your heart. They were not the ones and somewhere inside your head you know that. I hear so many people say after divorce that they knew they shouldn’t have done that. They didn’t wait for fate. For divorces after several years I think it is a matter of the right person at the right time. I was married 25 years in my first marriage. When we married I do believe we were right for one another. We married young and over the years changed. The problem is we didn’t change together. We went from being right for each other to not right for each other. In my current marriage to Cheryl, we wed a little older and have established who we are. We were perfect for each other when we said “I Do” and are still perfect for each other looking at our tenth wedding anniversary. With major personal change behind us I look forward to happy “as long as we shall live”.

Some couples are lucky and change together as they age. My parents are a great example. They celebrated their 50th anniversary a few years back and I can’t imagine a couple more suited to each other. They married young and were able to change together over the years. I can tell you that they are as happy and in love today as the day they were married. I get the feeling that is the same for Ray and Lori (the couple reaffirming their vows). After 25 years they are great together. I can’t imagine one with out the other.

I am very excited about the ceremony tomorrow. Seeing the two of them sharing their love and commitment as they did 25 years ago. Let me be the first to congratulate the Bride and Groom. Congratulations Ray and Lori, and thanks for allowing me to be a small part of the ceremony.